Evidence on occupational therapy and child and adolescent mental health in disciplinary journals: a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, there has been a sustained increase in the prevalence of child and adolescent mental health diagnoses, which are associated with difficulties in the emotional, social, family and occupational spheres. Evidence supports the need for interdisciplinary and timely treatment to address these problems. Given the long history of occupational therapy in this field, it is essential to examine the evidence supporting its work. Objective: To characterize academic publications on occupational therapy in disciplinary journals related to child and adolescent mental health. Method: A bibliometric analysis with an exploratory-descriptive scope was conducted. Searches were performed in the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases, along with manual searches in disciplinary journals in Spanish and Portuguese. A total of 269 articles published between 1985 and 2022 were selected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: An increase in the number of publications was observed starting from 1985 t, with exponential growth since 2010. The thematic focus is on childhood, associated with diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. The most commonly used disciplinary models are Sensory Integration, Models of Human Occupation, and the Canadian Model. Quantitative studies with a descriptive scope predominate. Conclusion: Despite the importance of the topic for occupational therapy, the publications are scarce, focused, and have low levels of evidence. The need to promote more disciplinary research that addresses the diversity of approaches and areas of work is emphasized. It is crucial to encourage analytical and experimental studies to raise the levels of evidence in addressing child and adolescent mental health.